OLD TRAVANCORE KINGDOM AND KERALA PHOTOS

[ensign flag to show Travancore as vassal or subordinate state to Britain]

Coat of arms - Kingdom of Cochin

The 'Coat of arms' of erstwhile 'Kingdom of Cochin', seen at the front arch of Sakthan Thampuran Palace - a major landmark of Thrissur, Kerala's cutural hub. Thrissur was one of the capitals of Cochin Kings, who ruled for centuries before merging with the Union of India.

View with stone bridge, AlleppeyDescription:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the stone bridge in the town of Alleppey, in the erstwhile Travancore. . The town owes its origin to Raja Kesava Das, the illustrious Dewan in the latter part of the 18th century. Often called the 'Venice of Travancore', it is almost surrounded by sea and backwaters and the many canals that intersect the town, carrying 'vallams' or country-craft laden with merchandise. The port was opened in 1762, when Kesava Das built three ships for trade with Calcutta and Bombay, and was chosen

Alleppey No.1Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a canal scene in the town of Alleppey, in the erstwhile Travancore State. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. This town owes its origin to Raja Kesava Das, the illustrious Dewan in the latter part of the 18th c.

pic taken by Travancore Palace Photographer of Bolgatty Palace, the Chief Residency of Hon. British Resident to Cochin[Trivandrum residence is near model school Trivandrum]

VIEW NEAR CHAVRAY [?CHAVARA].DESCRIPTION:TAKEN FROM THE CURZON COLLECTION, 'ALBUM OF SOUTH INDIAN VIEWS', THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN BY ZACHARIAH D'CRUZ C.1900 AND SHOWS A CANAL, SET AMIDST A COCONUT PLANTATION, ALTHOUGH THE LOCATION IS UNIDENTIFIED IT IS PROBABLY AT CHAVARA, NORTH OF QUILON (SEE MAP ACCOMPANYING THE TRAVANCORE STATE MANUAL (1906)). GEORGE NATHANIEL CURZON WAS UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BETWEEN 1895-98 AND VICEROY OF INDIA BETWEEN 1898-1905.

After nationalising the oil industry in the 1970s by Indira Gandhi,Hindustan Petroleum H.P.Corporation Limited came into being from erstwhile Esso;and B.P.and Shell.(british petroleum ) became Bharat petroleum

below -petrol bunk ;to show handle for pumping petrol at back of the pumps

Trivandrum - Kollam routeThe first bus service was started in 1908 by a public company by name Meenachil Motor Association

In 1949, the Morris 10, made by HM's British partner Nuffield, was driven out of the Birlas' Uttarpara plant near Kolkata as the Hindustan 10. In the next decade and a bit, its evolution (see box) into the Ambassador

HINDUSTAN ON WHEELS: THE MANY AVATARS OF THE AMBASSADOR

1949: Hindustan 10 and 14The Hindustan Motors plant began rolling out cars modelled on the Morris cars of Britain. For instance, the Hindustan 14.

BELOW-1954: Landmaster

Looked like the Amby from the front but had a different back. Introduced the "trafficator"; 74 per cent market share.

1957: Mark IThe Ambassador finally arrived as a sort of sleeker, souped up Landmaster. It defined the Ambassador's size for the next half-century.

Premier Automobiles Ltd (PAL) was promoted by Walchand Hirachand, in collaboration with the Chrysler Corporation of the US. In March 1947, the company began assembling Chrysler products: Dodge, De Soto, and Plymouth cars and Dodge, De Soto and Fargo trucks. Indigenistion started in 1949 with the manufacture of radiators, mufflers, springs, propeller shafts, shock absorbers, etc.

In 1950 PAL entered into a collaboration with Fiat, SpA of Italy and started assembly of Fiat 1100 cars. In 1953, following the Tariff Commission report, the Government of India granted protection to the automobile industry, thus enabling Premier Automobiles to step up its manufacturing program with full vigour and, in 1954, the first Indian-made ‘Fiat 1100’ cars rolled out.

In the early years of the automotive industry, more attention was paid to manufacturing cars than buses and trucks. The progressive manufacture of Tata-Mercedes-Benz diesel trucks and buses in India began in Poona in October 1954, after Tata Motors and Daimler-Benz had tied up. And the next year Ashok Leyland began manufacture of its Comet trucks. Fords and General Motors, not confident of indigenising production, may have pulled out, but the Indian manufacturers confidently forged ahead. And the Indian Automobile Industry had by the late 1950s put down firm roots.

Tata's commercial vehicles1954 Collaboration with Daimler Benz AG, West Germany, for manufacture of medium commercial vehicles. The first vehicle rolled out within 6 months of the contract.1977 First commercial vehicle manufactured in Pune.

TRAVANCORE RUPEE

The rupee was the currency of the State ofTravancore. Unlike the Indian rupee issued by the British, the rupee of Travancore was subdivided into 7fanam, each of 4 chukram or 64 cash. The Travancore currency was issued until 1949 before being replaced by the Indian rupee.

16 CASH=I CHUCKRAM

4 CHUCKRAM =1 PANAM

7 PANAM =1 RUPEE

TRAVANCORE -ONE RUPEE

FOUR CASH -TRAVANCORE [THIS WAS THE PRICE OF ONE DOSA THOSE DAYS]

TRAVANCORE- HALF RUPEE

ONE PANAM- TRAVANCORE

QUARTER RUPEE -TRAVANCORE

ONE CHUCKRAM -TRAVANCORE

EIGHT CASH-TRAVANCORE= 1/2 CHUCKRAM

STUPID PEOPLE WERE CALLED "KAASINU KOLLAATHAVN"MEANS NOT WORTH ONE CASH

ONE CASH -TRAVANCORE

RUPEE -BRITISH INDIA -1940

One British Rupee was 28 and a half chakkaram and one sarkar ( Travancore Government) rupai was 28 chakarams. One chakaram was 16 kasu.

God Save The King Lyrics

God save our gracious kingLong live our noble kingGod save the kingSend him victoriousHappy and gloriousLong to reign over usGod save the king

Rupees One HundredRupees One ThousandRupees Ten Thousand

Ariancavoo [Ariyankavu] Temple

Title:

Ariancavoo [Ariyankavu] TempleDate:[1900] ;c. 1900Creator:Photographer : D'Cruz, ZachariahDescription:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Shastha temple, Aryankavu in the erstwhile Travancore State. The photograph shows a general view looking down onto the temple buildings at Aryankavu, situated a few miles west of Shencottah in Tamilnadu. It is a small village on the ghat section of what was the Travancore railway, overlooking the mountain pass zigzagging from Madura and Tirunelveli to Travancore through the hills and the forests. The temple dedicated to the deity 'Shasta', the guardian of the hills, was very close

TAME ELEPHANTS USED TO HUNT AND CATCH WILD ELEPHANTS 1876

ELEPHANTS PULLING A STALLED RAILWAY STEAM ENGINE

Travancore branches of the South Indian Railway started in 1899-1900.

The railway line from Kollam to Punalur was opened for train services in 1904.

Kollam-Thiruvananthapuram line work was completed in 1917 and the line opened in 1918

first railway line was laid between Beypore and Tirur IN 1861

The Shoranur-Ernakulam line, opened in 1902 as a metre gauge line, was converted into broad gauge in 1934.

PEOPLE SCARED BY THE SOLAR ECLIPSE,NORTH KERALA

Tellicherry in the 1850.The British established their presence in Kerala in 1682, when they obtained permission from the Vadakkilamkur Prince of Kolattunad to settle at ThalasseryCricket

Sir Arthur Wellesly, later Duke of Wellington introduced cricket in thalassery, sometime during the last decade of the eighteenth century.[1790-1800] He did not have enough players in his establishment. He got his persons, dhobies who washed his clothes near the well in one corner of the Thalassery stadium, fisherfolk from their colony and many others to make up the numbers. It took more than half a century (1860) for the first cricket club, Tellicherry Town Cricket Club, to be formed.

ONE OF THE EARLIEST Cricket ClubS IN INDIA:-was formed in 1860 at Tellichery, keralaThe Calcutta Cricket and Football Club is known to be in existence by 1792, but was possibly founded more than a decade earlier.Sir Arthur Wellesly, later Duke of Wellington introduced cricket in thalassery, sometime during the last decade of the eighteenth century.[1790-1800]

In 1799, another club was formed at Seringapatam(SREE RANGA PATTNAM) in south India after the successful British siege and the defeat of Tipu Sultan. In 1864, a Madras v. Calcutta match was arguably the start of first-class cricket in India.

View of the Fort, Cannanore, from the Bay-1820

Anglo-Vernacular School, Mavelikkara, Travancore-1865

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a general view of the Ayur temple largely concealed by trees of the Kottarakara taluq in the erstwhile Travancore State. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905.

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a river scene, the Kallar in erstwhile Travancore. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. The Kallar is a tributary of the Pamba river, one of the finest rivers of Travancore. The Kallr rises in the valley

Backwater, Travancore.-1900 [BEFORE ARRIVAL OF TOURISM INDUSTRY AND HOUSE BOATS]

Syrian church at Kottayam, Travancore State Artist: Bateman1835

Chengannur River [Travancore]--1900

1898-1905. The Kallar is a tributary of the Pamba river, one of the finest rivers of Travancore. The Kallr rises in the valley north of Chempazhakkara joins the main river a little above Ranni and the combined river now called Ranni leaves the forest area as a powerful stream 200 yards broad. It then runs west for about 30 miles when it is joined by the Manimala river and 6 or 8 miles lower down the Kulakkada river joins it and after a course

1872-TRAVELLING BY OPEN PALANQUIN

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a view of the Normal School, Trivandrum in the erstwhile Travancore State.The school was two storeyed with pitched roof and projecting dormers of carved wood in local style. When the Government of Travancore first established English schools it obtained teachers from outside. In 1894 a Normal School Institution was established in Trivandrum in the name of English Normal School. It consisted of three classes in which those who had passed the Lowers Secondary, Matriculation and F. A. Examinations were trained. The Government sanctioned two Normal Schools during 1883-84, one at Trivandrum and the other at Kottar for the training of teachers for Vernacular schools. The services of a duly qualified and trained teacher from Madras were secured to start the Normal School at Trivandrum. The School at Kottar was abolished in 1894, and the one at the Capital was amalgamated in 1900 with the English Normal School established in 1894.

Kowdiar Palace, of the Travancore Royal Family

Distant view of the Kannakacunoo Palace [Trivandrum]Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Kanakakunnu Palace, Trivandrum in the erstwhile Travancore State. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905.

Description:

Dewan's official Residence [Trivandrum]Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a view of the Dewan's official residence.. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. The Dewan is the Prime Minister of the Princely State

Travancore police

below:-"Boys of the Salvation Army Home in Trivandrum ;South India"1920

The Maharaja and Maharani of Travancore with the Governor of Madras, Lord Erskine, and Lady Erskine at Travancore House, in Adyar, on March 4, 1937, where the Maharaja hosted a party for the Governor. The Dewan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyer, is seen standing second from left.Residency [Trivandrum]

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the British Residency, Trivandrum. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. It shows a general view of the two-storey building from the garden, with porte-cochère in the foreground

Colonel John Munro1812-1814 A.DHistory has recorded that Colonel John Munro was the greatest British Administrator of Travancore and Cochin in 150 years of British Dominion.John Munro went back to his birth place in Teaninich, Ross Shire in Scotland and lived there until he died in 1858.Munro Island[MUNROE THURUTH] IS NAMEDAFTER HIM

MUNROE ISLAND

Industrial School of Arts [Trivandrum]Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Industrial School of Arts, Trivandrum.George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. A 'School of Arts' was established by the Travancore Government in Trivandrum in 1862-63. In 1872-73, a small establishment of carving in ivory under the direction of a Brahmin. In 1890, the School was named an 'Industrial School' and secured the services of two potters from the Madras School of Arts. A separate building was provided for the School. Later painting and photography was added to the Arts branch and a smithy to the Industrial br..

Maharajah Ayilyam Thirunal of Travancore(center) with the first prince(left) and Dewan Sit T. Madhava Rao (right [SIR T.MADHAV RAO'S STATUE IS OPPOSITE TRIVANDRUM SECRETARIAT BUILDING .AND IS KNOWN AS STATUE JUNCTION]

Statue of Raja Sir T. Madhava Rao

This is one of the most popular Statues in Trivandrum located at the Statue Junction just in front of the Secretariat. Raja Sir Tanjore Madhava Rao, KCSI ( 1828 to April 4, 1891), also known as Sir Madhava Rao Thanjavurkar, Indian Statesman, born at Cambaconum in Madras Presidency, son of a Dewan of Travancore. Sir Madhava Rao administered Travancore with so much skill as justly to entitle him to be considered the Turgot of India. He found Travancore when he went there in 1858 in the lowest state of degradation. He has left it a Model State.

Photographer: Zacharias D'Cruz

View of the Public Offices in Trivandrum, in the erstwhile Travancore.

C

The Cantonment [Palayam], the Public Offices, the residence of the upper classes, European as well as native, are all beautifully located on small eminences, commanding beautiful scenery all round. This later became the centre of rule of Kerala after independence. The Legislative Assembly was housed here until a new building was made near Palayam.

East entrance Gopura of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Trivandrum, in the erstwhile Travancore

This 9th Century Hindu temple is one of the greatest of Kerala and was the center of rule by the Travancore Kings for 291 years starting from 1700s. The temple Sreekovil, enshrines a large image of Vishnu, spread over three doors, and is built in the typical Kerala style. The surrounding walls and towers are similar to those of the Dravidian architecture of Tamil Nadu. The imposing gopura or entrance gateway consists of ascending storeys ending with a vaulted roof and reflect the contemporary Nayaka style of architecture.KEROSENE STREET LIGHT CAN BE SEEN IN THE TEMPLE PHOTOSTEET LAMP LIGHTER

Lamplighter lighting a gas streetlight in Sweden, 1953. By this time remaining gas lamps were rare curiosities.

WHAT I SAW:-THERE IS A SECRET PASSAGE GOING DOWN FROM THE;FIRST FLOOR ; WESTERN END; OF KUTHIRA MAALIKA PALACE(SWATHI THIRUNAL MAHARAJAH'S PALACE).THE DIRECTION OF THIS SECRET TUNNEL IS TOWARDS PADMANABHA SWAMI TEMPLE -TO THE NORTH WEST DIRECTION .THIS SECRET TUNNEL WAS SHOWN TO ME AND OTHER VISITORS AS AN EMERGENCY ESCAPE TUNNEL.

IS IT GOING INTO THE TEMPLE? IS IT CONNECTED WITH THE GOLD HORDE IN THE TEMPLE?NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW!!

536 kg of gold coins: 16 kg each of East India Company sovereigns and Travancore gold coins, 106 kg of Travancore Raasi coins and 3 kg of Napolean-era gold coins.

Three sets of crowns, including a centuries-old diamondand-emerald-studded golden crown, believed to be the crown of Kulasekhara Perumal.

Parts of a huge sacred drum made of pure gold,

in which the kings would bathe as part of Hiranya Garbham (coronation rituals).

A 55-kg golden face mask and a golden idol of Lord Krishna weighing over 5 kg.

Day-to-day puja utensils in gold worth thousands of crores, including a huge golden hood, two golden lamps each weighing over 15 kg, a diamond-studded, golden thread and gold---plated-coconut shells to serve food to the GoD

PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO REMOVE THE CLOTH COVERING THE HEAD(HEADDRESS OR TURBAN), AND TIE IT AROUND THEIR WAIST BEFORE KING COMESWHEN KING COMES ALL ARE SUPPOSED TO BEND DOWN, FROM THEIR WAIST DOWN ,TILL THE HEAD COMES DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE WAIST-- AND--PUT THEIR RIGHT HAND OVER THEIR MOUTH AND COVER MOUTH;AS A SHOW OF RESPECT

TRAVANCORE COINS WITH THE HEAD OF TRAVANCORE KING SRI CHITHIRA THIRUNAL MAHARAJA

THE BULLOCK CART DRIVER SLEEPS THE WHOLE DISTANCE ,IF THE ROUTE IS KNOWN TO THE BULLOCK.BULLOCKS KNOWS HOW TO KEEP TO THE LEFT SIDE -MUCH BETTER THAN MANY OF THE DRUNK HUMAN DRIVERS[THEN AND NOW] .THE LEADING CART DRIVER HAS TO KEEP AWAKE ONLY IF THE ROUTE IS NOT KNOWN TO THE BULLOCK..THE CARTS BEHIND DRIVERS ALSO ROUTINELY SLEEP BECAUSE ALL FOLLOW THE LEAD CART.

TO THE WEEKLY MARKETS-FILM-Phagun(1958)-Sun Jaa Pukaar (Asha Bhonsle)TO SHOW HOW FARMERS TRAVELED TO WEEKLY MARKETS-IN LONG LINE OF CARTS IN KERALA AND INDIA

[2]During the Travancore-Cochin elections,

POSTER PHOTO SHOWS NEHRU;BELOW- POSTER BELOW SHOWS BOX WITH BULLOCKS - WAS CONGRESS PARTY'S,CAN SEE IN THIS PHOTO,THE POVERTY AND DRESS ,MODE OF TRAVEL OF PEOPLE OF TRAVNCORE-AT TRIVANDRUM CITY 1950'Ssimilar long line of bullock carts could be seen on the mud roads of Travancore ,going to weekly markets,traveling upto 30 km distance ,in about 4 hours time.each cart used to be loaded up with agriculture products for sale

SIMILAR STEAM (ENGINE) ROLLER USED FOR THE ROADS

OLD CARD TICKET OF INDIAN RAILWAY

A metre gauge steam locomotive pulling into a station in Cochin-ON THE WAY TO KTYM-KOTTAYAM 1966

MADRAS(NOW CHENNAI) TO TRIVANDRUM(THIRUANANDAPURAM)- 1950 IN 3 HOURS- THE FASTEST PLANE BEFORE JET PLANES CAME IN 1960'S-( 'DAKOTA'PLANE ) .THE ONLY FLIGHTDAILY; FROM THE ONLY AIRPORT OF KERALA IN 1950;STARTING FROM TRV: AROUND 12 NOON AND REACHING MADRAS/CHENNAI PAST 3 P.M (COCHIN NAVAL AERODROME WAS NOT FOR CIVILIAN USE THEN)

In 1939, the Travancore Royal house acquired an air craft of its own ,a dakota

Tata Airlines launched its longest domestic flight -

The Hindu-daily Madras -Trivandrum flight -

The Hindu's first step towards reaching out to a larger readership had been taken by Srinivasan when his faith in the aeroplane had him using the world's and India's fledgling air services to transport The Hindu. Kasturi built on this and, in 1962, The Hindu became the first newspaper in India to charter a plane to deliver its newspapers - an Indian Airlines Dakota flew a Bangalore-Coimbatore-Madurai route and the cities and their hinterland got a morning edition. The next year, The Hindu made history when it bought four Herons. It became the first newspaper in the world operating its own fleet of aircraft to reach copies to readers over an extensive region. On September 29, 1963, the low-key newspaper, on one of those rare occasions in its existence, patted itself on the back with a front page picture and a vivid description of the "unique event in the history of world journalism."

When The Hindu in 1964 augumented its fleet with Dakotas, it was able to distribute the paper by air to Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Trivandrum and Cochin. By the middle of 1965, the newspaper was able to stop its dak edition. This was made possible by a splendid Circulation Department exercise linking air, rail and road transport to ensure that the morning edition of The Hindu penetrated deeper into the southern States, reaching the target areas no later than noon on the day of publicationThe cost of supplying readers their daily newspaper using the newspaper's own aircraft was, however, far too high. Weather conditions, especially the monsoons, made deliveries erratic at times. A better way of serving readers across South India had to be found. With technology making rapid strides in a world capitalising on wartime inventions, new means of transmission were being developed in the 1960s. The Hindu decided to replace its airfleet with new methods of inter-city transmission in the late 1960s. Kasturi, who spent much time on his trips abroad taking a look at developing newspaper technology, was in the forefront of taking The Hindu into the hi-tech age. The breakthrough answer was the facsimile mode of transmission.

A TYPICAL DAKOTA PLANE WHICH USED TO HAVE ONCE A DAY SERVICE TO MADRAS(NOW CHENNAI) FROM TVM AIRPORT

The Baroda Broadcasting station was set up in 1939.vThe Maharaja of Travancore set up a transmitter at Trivandrum in the same year.When India became independent in 1947 the AIR network had only six stations (in Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Lucknow, and Tiruchi)vAll India radio renamed as `Akashwani` since August 15th, 1957At first malayalam news had started broadcasting from delhi AIR division in the year 1949 and later in 1957 an independent radio station has started in Trivandrum solely for keralites..At first there was only one news bullettin and one station,in a small building behind present MLA hostel,later shifted to the present building in Trivandrum.1950-1990Radio era:- INDIA had no music channel and LISTENED TO 'BINACA GEET MALA'FROM RADIO CEYLON(NOW SREE LANKA)TILL 1957 ,WHEN INDIAN CHANNEL 'VIVIDH BHARATHI'STARTED

Radio era-1950 to 1990

DD-Doordarshan - Vande matram

REGULAR TV SHOWS STARTED IN 1970'S,THERE WAS ONLY ONE-GOVERNMENT CHANNEL TILL 1991 WHEN MANY FORIEGN PVT: TV CHANNELS WERE ALLOWED IN INDIA

Central Jail building before the occupation of being a jail served as the barracks for the Nayar Brigade, where prisoners serving short-terms were confined. These prisoners were locked up at night and guarded by Jail warders and brigade sepoys. A large number of them were employed in the making and repairing of roads both at Trivandrum and at Quilon (Kollam). Others in small groups, were made to work day to day for garden work in the Palaces, Hospitals, Sirkar buildings and Public Gardens. There was also a hospital in a seperate building, attached to the jail premises.

A view of the Chief Engineer's Office, Trivandrum in the erstwhile Travancore State.[LATERThe College of Engineering, Trivandrum, . Founded in 1939, FUNCTIONED IN THIS PREMISES TILL IT SHIFTED OUT]

{Note:-.the long [ photo taken before electricity came to trivandrum city in 1929. it shows kerosene lanters and hand pulled punkah(fan)which can be seen on both sides as a long strip of cloth}

for a Fan Moved by Mechanism, 27 November 1830.A PUNKAH[HAND PULLED FAN] PULLER IS EMPLOYED TO PULL THE PUNKAH CORD ,FROM OUT SIDE THE WINDOW .THE MECHANISM IS SIMPLE:- HE PULLS THE CORD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE MADE OF, MAT FAN ;ALL THE WAY TO THE WINDOW AND THEN HE LET GO THE CORD TILL THE FAN GOES BACK AUTOMATICALLY TO THE ORIGINAL POSITION.

Punkha Boy[FAN CORD PULLER BOY]

FANS WHICH WORK ON KEROSENE-USED BEFORE ARRIVAL OF ELECTRICITY IN 1926

KEROSENE FLAME REFRIGERATION BEFORE ELECTRICITY CAME 1926

Electric Supply and Telephone:

Application was made to the British Government in 1081 M.E. (1905-06) for sanction to install a line of telephone communication connecting Pehipppara with and Telephone. other principal stations in south Travancore. This line was taken over from the British Indian Telegraph Department towards the close of 1086 M.E. (1910-11) and a new station opened at Chellanthuruthi. It is now run on the one-line system.

the phone handle is to be cranked by hand for 2 minutes before it gets connected to the lady in the exchange;who in turn ask you to wait for her return call after contacting your desired customer .the whole process was tedious and time consuming

Manual exchange, 1955. Photo courtesy Marvin Hodges.The photo gives an idea just how large (and crowded) a manual exchange could be in terms of numbers of staff.

Till 1953 trivandrum telephone exchange

was old magneto system where the phone handle is to be cranked by hand for 2 minutes before it gets connected to the lady in the exchange;who in turn ask you to wait for her return call after contacting your desired customer .the whole process was tedious and time consuming

1951 The first commercial computer, named "First Ferranti MARK I," at the Manchester University.

The Trivandrum Electric Supply Scheme was put into execution in 1103 M.E. Mr. K. P. P. P. Menon, Industrial Engineer, was put on special duty from 1-1-1103 M.E. as an Electrical Engineer in the P.W.D. The Electrical Installation of the Trivandrum town including the major portion of the distribution mains was completed in 1104.M.E. On the evening of the 25th February 1929,

Mounting Blocks for Brass Switches

Fluted Toggle SwitchPorcelain Based

the Silver Jubilee of the Sri Mulam Popular Assembly, the then Dewan, Mr. M.E. Watts, in the presence of a distinguished gathering, switched on the supply and informally opened the Power House. On the 8th March 1929 the supply to the town commenced with 541 street lights and two consumers.

photo Description"Our Christian lepers in Trivandrum. Government Leper Asylum. Photo taken receiving their Christmas gifts and partaking of the Holy Communion which is always a great pleasure for me to share with them. (Bessie Osborne)." Bessie Osborne was the wife of LMS missionary, William Davey Osborne. They served together in India from 1893 to 1914, at Trivandrum until 1900 when they moved to Attingal.Trivandrum. Government Leper Asylum.1900

Photograph of the Palace, Trivandrum taken by an unknown photographer in the 1900s. The photograph is from an album containing views of various locations in India, formerly in the collection of Horatio Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and Broome, (1850-1916), who was Commander in Chief of India between 1902 and 1909.Thiruvananthapuram, also known as Trivandrum is a large city situated on a series of low densely forested hills in the south of India on the edge of the Arabian Sea. From 1750 until 1956 the city was the capital of the kingdom of Travancore until the state of Kerala was created. The name is derived from thiru-anantha-puram or ‘the holy city of Anatha’ which is the coiled snake on which the god Vishnu reclines.

Chalai bazar,;{OPPOSITE FORT AND SRI PADMANABHA SWAMI TEMPLE-KNOWN AS 'KIZHAKKE KOTAH' AT TRIVANDRUM CITY) photograph taken on 1880-SHOWS ONLY RESIDENTIAL HOUSES .THE SAME AREA IS NOW ONLY SHOPS

Trivandrum in the 1930s ;SHOWING BATHING TANK IN FRONT OF THE TEMPLE AND KIZHAKKE KOTAH(FORT GATE ) .FURTHUR EAST CAN SEE THE CHALAI BAZAR ROAD. .THE MAIN ROAD(NOW NAMED M.G. ROAD) IS TO THE LEFT OF THE PHOTO AND CANNOT BE SEEN

PHOTO OF BEACH 1930'S

MALAYALAM NUMERALS AND ALBHABETS

lone woman student going to college .dressed in typical christian fashion of chatta(white blouse) and kachamuri(white mundu).streets deserted as there were no city service buses ; cars very few; population itself was very low compared to now,no unions,no strikes. founded in the year 1834 by the Government of Travancore during the reign of His Highness Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, the building was completed in 1870 by His Highness Sri Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma Maharaja of Travancore. John Ross of the Edinburgh University was the Principal. This building still stands as the main block of the University College.

TRAVANCORE[NOW KERALA STATE] NATIVE TEACHERS-1872

SCHOOL BOYS AND MASTER-FEW BOYS GOT BOOKS IN HAND ; WHILE OTHERS ARE READING FROM'OLA'-PALM LEAF

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Travancore Maharaja's State Carriage in Trivandrum.. It was drawn by a team of six horses. In the background can be seen the gopuram of the Padmanabha Swamy temple.

The Public Gardens [Trivandrum]

Title:

The Public Gardens [Trivandrum]Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Public Gardens in Trivandrum. The idea of establishing a Public Garden in Trivandrum was sanctioned by the Maharaja in 1859 and was to be accomplished under the direction of John Allan Broun, the Government Astronomer. Several interesting botanical specimens were reared in the garden from seeds and cuttings procured from Bangalore and other cities. In 1879, the Curatorship was abolished and the management of the museum and the gardens was placed under a Committee consisting of t...

Lake in the Public Gardens No.2 [Trivandrum]

Lake in the Public Gardens No.2 [Trivandrum]Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Public Gardens in Trivandrum. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. The idea of establishing a Public Garden in Trivandrum was sanctioned by the Maharaja in 1859 and was to be accomplished under the direction of John Allan Broun, the Government Astronomer.Several interesting botanical specimens were reared in the garden from seeds and cuttings procured from Bangalore and other cities. In 1879, the Curatorship was abolished and the management of the museum and the gardens was placed under a Committee consisting of the ...

Lake in the Public Gardens No.1 [Trivandrum]

Lake in the Public Gardens No.1 [Trivandrum]Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Public Gardens in Trivandrum.. The idea of establishing a Public Garden in Trivandrum was sanctioned by the Maharaja in 1859 and was to be accomplished under the direction of John Allan Broun, the Government Astronomer.Several interesting botanical specimens were reared in the garden from seeds and cuttings procured from Bangalore and other cities. In 1879, the Curatorship was abolished and the management of the museum and the gardens was placed under a Committee consisting of the ..

The Band-Stand in the Public Gardens in Trivandrum

The idea of establishing a Public Garden in Trivandrum was sanctioned by the Maharaja Uthram Thirunal in 1859 and was to be accomplished under the direction of John Allan Broun, the Government Astronomer. Several interesting botanical specimens were reared in the garden from seeds and cuttings procured from Bangalore and other cities. In 1879, the Curatorship was abolished and the management of the museum and the gardens was placed under a Committee consisting of the British Resident and three European members. In 1897-98, the institutions were placed under an officer called "Director of the Government Museum and Public Gardens". The Band-Stand shown here was re-built in the early 1900s.

Band Stand in the Public Gardens [Trivandrum]

BAND AT BANDSTAND -THIS WAS THE ONLY MUSIC AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC BEFORE RADIO ,TV AND RECORD PLAYER WERE DISOVERED.USUALLY IT WAS THE POLICE/NAIR SOLDIER BAND .SOMETIMES SALVATION ARMY BAND ALSO PLAYED AT MUSEUM BAND STAND

Salvation Army Band 1920

National Geographic 1920, "A Home-Made Salvation Army Band in India: The Salvation Army...

HAND CRANK GRAMAPHONE:-1907 -1940

Varkala.Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Varkala Canal, in the erstwhile Travancore. Varkala near Trivandrum is known for the temple of great antiquity dedicated to Janrdanaswami and for its mineral waters. Springs gush out of the cliffs that rise abruptly on the beach. There are two tunnels close to the temple constructed at a great cost by the Travancore Government. One of them is nearly half a mile in length, bored through the cliffs linking the waterways on either side and establishing through-water communication bet.

Varkala Canal northen view.Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Varkala Canal, in the erstwhile Travancore during Lord Curzon's visit to the State. . Varkala near Trivandrum is known for the temple of great antiquity dedicated to Janrdanaswami and for its mineral waters. Springs gush out of the cliffs that rise abruptly on the beach. There are two tunnels close to the temple constructed at a great cost by the Travancore Government and opened in 1881. One of them is nearly half a mile in length, bored through the cliffs linking the waterways on either side and establishi..

Varkala Cliffs. No.1Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Varkala beach with the cliffs, in the erstwhile Travancore. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. Varkala near Trivandrum is known for the temple of great antiquity dedicated to Janrdanaswami and for its mineral waters. Springs gush out of the cliffs that rise abruptly on the beach. There are two tunnels close to the temple constructed at a great cost by the Travancore Government. One of them is nearly half a mile in length, bored through the cliffs linking the waterways on either side and establishing through-water c...

Varkala Tunnel.Description:Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Varkala Tunnel, in the erstwhile Travancore.. Varkala near Trivandrum is known for the temple of great antiquity dedicated to Janrdanaswami and for its mineral waters. Springs gush out of the cliffs that rise abruptly on the beach. There are two tunnels close to the temple constructed at a great cost by the Travancore Government and opened in 1881. One of them is nearly half a mile in length, bored through the cliffs linking the waterways on either side

Peermade was used as a sanatorium and hill-station by the European community in Travancore. A major centre of coffee and tea industry, it is believed to have been the residence of a Muhammadan saint, Peer Mohammed from whose name, Peermade takes its name.

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a view of the water falls at Courtallam, part of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views'. This waterfall is situated in a very picturesque scenery in the Western Ghats and is said to have medicinal properties. The main cascade is formed by a three-stage drop 91 metres high. The site takes it names from the Kuttalanatha temple, a Shiva temple which attracts many pilgrims.

photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer

Jubilee Town Hall [Trivandrum]

Zacharias D'Cruz of the Victorai Jubilee Town Hall in Trivandrum. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905.

History of legislative bodies in Kerala-- Sri Mulam Popular Assembly:-http://keralaassembly.org/history/popular.htmlThe first meeting of the Assembly took place at 11 a. m. on October 22, 1904 at the Victoria Jubilee Town Hallin Thiruvananthapuram better known as the VJT Hall. Subsequent meetings were to be held in the Capital every year soon after the Maharajan's birthday.LATER ASSEMBLY WAS SHIFTED TO THE HALL IN SECRETARIAT ATTRIVANDRUM

OLD ASSEMBLY HALL INSIDE SECRETARIAT BUILDING.NOW AGAIN SHIFTED TO THE NEW BUILDING IN PALAYAM;BUILT OVER THE OLD PALAYAM(MILITARY BARRACKS)

Membership was limited to representatives of landlords and merchants. The objective was "solely to givethe people an opportunity of bringing to the notice of the Government their requirements, wishes or grievances on the one hand, and on the other, to make the policy and measures of the Government better known to the people so that all possible grounds of misconception in regard to the action of Government may be removed."The members of the Assembly were chosen by the Division Peishkars (District heads) from among landholders who pay an annual land revenue of not less than Rs. 100 and landholders or traders whose net annual income was Rs. 6000 or above. Each taluk got two representatives..A landmark change took place a year later when more than two thirds of the representatives were elected from among the people. The regulation granting the people the privilege of electing their representatives was issued on May 1, 1905. Of the 100 members, 77 were to be elected and rest nominated.However, franchise was limited to persons who paid on their account an annual land revenue of not less than Rs. 50 or whose net income was not less than Rs. 2000. Graduates of recognised university with not less than ten years of standing and having their residence in the taluk were also eligible to vote. There were general and special constituencies for this purpose.

,

Central Jai[Trivandrum]

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a distant view of the Central Jail in Trivandrum. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' part of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98

Chathan Kovil, Trivandrum

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Chathan Kovil in Trivandrum. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection.[inside sree padmanabha swami temple.]

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a general view of golf links. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. View looking towards golf pavilion, with landscaped terraces and fountain in foreground. The pavilion has a roof designed in local style.

Golf Pavilion [Trivandrum]

Alleppey 1900- {NO HOUSE BOATS,NO MOTOR BOATS,NO TOURISTS}

The Ernakulam Boat Jetty circa 1950

Tiruvattur Temple interior

Photograph, taken about 1900 by the Government photographer Zacharias D'Cruz, of the Tirvattar temple in the erstwhile Travancore State.The Adikesava Perumal temple pictured here is considered to be of equal sanctity to that at Trivandrum dedicated to Sri Padmanabha, though it is much older. The God Adikesava is said to have taken his rest at Tiruvattar after having killed an Asura, who had been the cause of immense misery to the world. He is represented as Vishnu seated, in contrast to the lying posture of Sri Padmanabha at Trivandrum. The temple is one of the largest in Travancore and with its large corridors adorned with rows of stone-pillars and excellent sculptures it forms a magnificent piece of ancient Dravidian architecture. It is situated on a high level and flights of steps lead up to its precincts from all sides.Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a general view of the canal at Chakay, Trivandrum. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905

Chakay

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a general view north from the bridge, Quilon

View east of the [Golf] Pavilion, No.2 [Trivandrum]

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of the Golf Links, Trivandrum. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' from the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905.

A TYPICAL KERALA HOME 1950--A WHEEL USED FOR MAKING ROPE CAN BE SEEN UNDER THE COCONUT TREE,WHILE THE WHEEL SEEN ON THE VERANDAH, IS- PROBABLY- A WATER PADDLE USED TO EMPTY WATER FROM RICE FIELDS ;;BY FOOT POWER(FOOT PADDLE PUMP)

PICKING NITS-WAS A DAILY SIGHT IN INDIA-PICKING NITS WAS A SORT OF SOCIAL GATHERING SIMILAR TO A MODERN WOMEN,S CLUB ;AT THE SAME TIME SAFE FROM THE CRUEL DICTATORIAL MOTHER INLAW/SISTERINLAW AND HUSBAND

Paddle-wheel or tread-wheel-used to pump out or pump in water into paddy fields,before electricity came to Travancore

These devices are, in effect, rotary versions of the simple scoop; however instead of one scoop being moved back and forth, a number are set around the periphery of a wheel,. Like the scoop a paddle wheel is only useful for very low lift pumping, such as flooding paddy fields at no more than about 0.5m height above the water source.

The simplest version is the paddle-wheel in which an operator walks directly on the rim, turning it so that it continuously and steadily scoops up water and deposits it over a low bund, . In its basic form the paddle wheel is not very efficient since a lot of the water lifted flows back around its edges. Therefore an improved version involves encasing the wheel in a closely fitting box which not only reduces the back-leakage of water but also slightly increases the head through which the device can operate.

Paddle wheels have been mechanized in the past, although they are unusual as water lifting devices today.

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TYPICAL TRAVANCORE CANAL TRANSPORT [THOSE DAYS -THERE WERE NO MOTOR BOATS, HOUSE BOATS OR TOURISTS; ALL OF WHICH CAME AFTER 1950]MOST TRADE AND TRAVEL TOOK PLACE BY THESE VALLAMS/BOATS AND IT USED TO TAKE MANY DAYS TO COVER DISTANCESBUT THERE WERE NO POLLUTION OF AIR NO NOISE POLLUTION, NO ACCIDENTS,NO TENSIONS OF TRAVEL

Role of Pathanamthitta in freedom struggleThe district can be proud of its rich contribution to the struggle for freedom.When Mahatma Gandhi visited the erstwhile Travancore in 1937, he asked his follower Khadar Das T.P. Gopala Pillai to spread the message of Khadi and Charka. Inspired by Gandhiji he founded the 'Mahatma Khadi Ashram' at Elanthoor 1941.He launched a scheme for mobilizing funds for khadi activities known as 'ek paise fund' in order to ensure the participation of the whole people in the khadi movement.

[BOSE WAS NOT A FASCIST OR NAZI SYMPATHIZER]

HITLER WITH BOSE DURING 2ND WORLD WAR

.BOSE WITH HIMMLER

DIE WAFFEN-SS INDISCHE LEGION/ THE WEAPONS-SS INDIAN LEGION:-

The crew of the Japanese submarine I-29 after the rendezvous with the German submarine U-180 300 sm southeast from Madagascar. bottom 2nd left is the Subhas Chandra Bose. Date : 28 April 1943 ;and below Bose and Members of the Azad Hind Fauj in 1943's

Bose giving speech at Tokyo---- BELOW-Military parade of the INA at the Padang on 5 July 1943

[1]AZAD HIND:-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azad_Hind(CLICK AND READ)below:-pamphlets distributed from bomber planes by japanese army -&"death or surrender"-dropped down from Japanese bomber planes over India

a negative reference to Japan was used, Tum na kisike aage jhunkna, German ho ya Japani, this allowed it to get pass through heavy British censorship of the time though the people understood the hidden meaning and the song; backed by the uplifting score by Anil Biswas, it became an instant hit, amidst the atmosphere of rising nationalistic fervour , though the British authorities, soon realised their mistake, and wanted to ban the film, and an arrest warrant was issued for the film's lyricist, Pradeep, who had to immediately go underground, to avoid arrest(In travancore also i saw this song sung; by a freedom fighter; who jumped on a drama stage and sung but escaped before arrest)FAMOUS PATRIOTIC SONG OF PRE- INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE.[CLICK AND SEE MOVIE -KISMAT-1942]

THIS WAS HACKED/REMOVED BY ANTI INDIAN HACKERS [PAKI?].NOW AGAIN PUTTING IT

HITLER and CHAMPAKARAMAN pillaiChampakaraman Pillai-(September 15, 1891–May 26, 1934)-Kerala( Thiruvananthapuram) born Indian revolutionary;got a written apology from Hitler for saying Indians are incapable of self rule;killed in revenge by Hitler later- - click and read :--http://pazhayathu.blogspot.in/2010/08/chempakaraman-pillai-september-15.html{Hitler said that Indians were still incapable of ruling themselves,1930’s he had become upset with Hitlers attitude about Indians, comments about color and other principles, especially those expressed in speeches and his book. Hitler had stated that Indians deserved to be ruled by the British and stated that they were not Aryans due to the color. Finally he chose to protest, in 1931, writing a complaint to him with a deadline for an answer. While many say the letter was addressed to the fuehrer, it was actually sent to the Reich Chancellor The reply of apology apparently came one day later than Pillai required. Pillai first wanted to send the letter dated 10/12/1931 to Hitler direct, after listening to his press conference words at otel Hotel Kaiserhof in Dec 1931,but then changed his mind and sent it to the Reich Chancellor {Heinrich Brüning( 1885 – 1970) was Reich Chancellorof Germany during the Weimar Republic from 1930 to 1932.}

Pillai's secret name:-Many of the Indians were on the English secret service watch lists, they were all entrusted with special tasks and Pillai worked under the assumed German East African name Abdullah Bin Manzur. Swadeshi movementIn 1924,Dr Champakaraman Pillai organized the first exhibition of Indian Swadeshi goods at the international fair held at Leipzig.Free government of India 1915He had the privilege of beingPrime Minister of the Provisional Government of India set up in Afghanistan in December 1915, with Raja Mahendra Pratap of Kabulas President. However, the defeat of the Germans in the war shattered the hopes of the revolutionaries.(Below, the first Provisional Indian Government-In-ExileDecember 1915.in Afghanistan ) Berlin Committee(Deutsche Verein der Freunde Indien)requestedVon Zimmermann of the German Foreign ministry to get Pratap invited to Berlin

Raja Mahendra pratap singh:-click and read:-http://www.rajamahendrapratap.net/freedom.htmhttp://www.rajamahendrapratap.net/freedom.htmProvisional_Government_of_India1915- read:-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provisional_Government_of_IndiaOn the other hand, some documents list him actually as Foreign ministerPillai and the INA.Pillai was the forerunner of Rash Behari Bose and Subhas Chandra Bose in organizing an Indian Army abroad to strike against the enemies at home. In 1933, Dr Champakaraman Pillai met Subhash Chandra Bose, and they jointly conceived the idea of Azad Hind. But he fell a victim to the wrath of the Nazis. It is reported that the Nazis under orders fromHitler killed Chempakaraman by poisoning his food on May 26, 1934}Immediately before his death, he asked his wife to sprinkle his ashes in “Nanjilnadu” (Kanyakumari district) and the Karamana River in Thiruvananthapuram. His wish was fulfilled in September 1966.}The Indian Navy's warship, I.N.S. Delhi, flying the flag of Free India, brought Pillai's ashes to Cochin on September 16, 1966.IN CHENNAI THERE IS A STATUE OF CHAMPAKARAMAN .

BUT BIRTH PLACE -KERALA /THIRUVANANTHAPURAM CITY; STILL HAS NO STATUE OR MEMORIAL; EVEN IN MODEL SCHOOL WHERE HE STUDIED -(IF I AM CORRECT.)http://maddy06.blogspot.in/2009/07/champaka-raman-pillai-forgotten-freedom.htmlhttp://maddy06.blogspot.in/2009/07/champaka-raman-pillai-forgotten-freedom.html--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A BRAVE WOMAN PATRIOT FROM PALGHAT ,KERALA - Lt Col LAXMI Swaminathan of the Indian National Army-CLICK AND READ:->http://pazhayathu.blogspot.in

Veteran freedom fighter Lakshmi Sehgal passed away at the age of 97. On Thursday, Sehgal was admitted to a hospital in Kanpur after she suffered cardiac arrest. A long time companion of Subhash Chandra Bose, she was a captain of Rani of Jhansi Regiment of Indian National Army. A doctor by profession, she was honoured with Padma Vibhushan in 1998. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VOTE BOXES OF-'TRAVANCORE COCHIN'--(BEFORE KERALA STATE WAS BORN [1] P.S.P[PRAJA SOCIALIST PARTY][2] CONGRESS -[BULLOCK SIGN]AND ANOTHER PARTY SYMBOL OF LIGHTED LAMP--PROBABLY COMMUNIST PARTY WAS NOT VERY POPULAR AT THAT TIME?--AND THE VOTE GOES INTO P.S.P VOTE BOX--NOW P.S.P IS EXTINCT

A hand places a vote into a ballot box during the Travancore-Cochin elections, Trivandrum, India, March 1954. (Photo by James Burke/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

It was in 1934 that EMS , along with other left-wing leaders of the Kerala Pradesh congress party like P. Krishnapillai, A.K Gopalan and Keraleeyan, formed the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) in Kerala. He was the All India Joint Secretary of the CSP from 1934 to 1940. he was one of the founder members of the Communist party in Kerala attending the Pinarayi - Parappuram Conference in 1939. He became a member of central committee of the Communist Party of India in 1941 and a member of the Polit Bureau in 1950. he was acting General Secretary of the party during 1953 - 56. Later he was the General Secretary of CPI(M) for 14 years.

[THE COMMUNIST PARTY WAS NOT POPULAR THEN ]-because C.P.I. OPENLY supported AND COLLABORATED WITH BritishIndian rulers during 2Nd world war just because Britain was allied withRussia.TILL RUSSIA JOINED THE SECOND WORLD WAR ;IT WAS CALLEDIMPERIALISTIC WAR BUT THE MOMENT RUSSIA JOINED THE WAR ON BRITISH SIDE ; IT WAS RENAMED AS PEOPLES WAR AND PATRIOTIC WAR BY C.P.I.

whether similar secret arrangements:- Britain had with other minor Indian parties isnot knownbut,R.s.s. the parent party of B.j.p. never took part in India's freedom struggle.;also Jinna's MUSLIM league never took part in India's freedom struggle .HINDU MAHASABHA NEVER TOOK PART IN INDIAN INDEPENDANCE STRUGGLE.DRAVIDA KAZAKAM PARTY OF E.V RAMASWAMI NAICKER (PARENT PARTY OF D.M.K. AND LATER A.I.A..D.M.K.) NEVER TOOK PART IN INDIAN INDEPENDANCE STRUGGLE.Reasons unknown.

LATER COMMUNIST PARTY WAS BANNED FOR A SHORT PERIOD FOR TAKING PART IN ARMED REVOLUTION IN TELENGANA.SIMILARLY R.S.S. WAS BANNED FOR A SHORT PERIOD AFTER MAHATMA GANDHI'S ASSASSINATION

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_of_Bengal_(1905The British not only encouraged the two communities to form political
parties along religious line but also took various constructive steps to
create a situation in which Hindus and Muslims would be forced to think
in a way as if their religious identity is at peril. That culminated in
the partition of Bengal in 1905. The partition was made along communal
lines. This partition provided an impetus to the religious divide and
the All India Muslim League and All India Hindu Mahasabhawere formed. Both organisations aimed at fanning communal passions.

A. J. JOHN,

ELECTION AS LEADER OF THE CONGRESS LEGISLATURE PARTY (44 LEGISLATORS), DEFEATING PANAMPILLY GOVINDA MENON BY A MARGIN OF 2 VOTESA. J. JOHN INVITED BY THE RAJPRAMUKH TO FORM THE GOVERNMENT AS LEADER OF THE LARGEST SINGLE PARTY IN THE LEGISLATURE

His actual name was A. Thanu Pillai. Since he came from Pattom in Thiruvananthapuram, he was called Pattom Thanu Pillai. Popularly he was known as just "Pattom".

. He obtained a degree in law and started legal practise.After some days he gave up the practise and joined the Indian National Congress.He atively took part in the independence movement .Within a few days he became a good leader of the congress party.He was given the responsibility to lead the congress party in the princely state of Travancore. In 1946 he was appointed as the member of the constituent assembly of India.

Pattom A. Thanu Pillai played crucial role in drafting the constitution of India.After independence he was appointed as the prime minister of Travancore.

The struggle for a responsible government in the princely state culminated in the ousting of theDiwan,Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer. Sir C.P. left Travancore on 19 August 1947. After Indian Independence and before the formation of Kerala state in 1956, he became Prime Minister of Travancorefrom 24 March 1948 to 22 October 1948. After independence, the princely states of Travancore andCochin were amalgamated to form Travancore-CochinState on 1 July 1949.

As a PSP member Pillai became Chief Minister ofThiru-Kochi (or Travancore-Cochin) from 16 March 1954 to 14 February 1955. The State of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 and the first state elections held there in March 1957 and resulted in a Communist Party-led administration. Pillai was an MLA for Thiruvananthapuram II representing the PSP.

When the first Kerala administration fell in the onslaught of "Vimochana Samaram" (Liberation Struggle) against the Communist rule and after elections in 1960 Pillai became the second Chief Minister of Kerala as head of a coalition administration. He was in power from 22 February 1960 to 26 September 1962. In 1962, he became the Governor of Punjab. Later he was appointed the Governor of Andhra Pradesh in which role he served from 4 May 1964 until 11 April 1968.

During the Travancore-Cochin elections, while people watch a play. {NINGAL ENNE COMMUNISTAKKI?-- BEFORE MANY PEOPLE BECAME COMMUNISTS IN 1950'S}

Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC) was formed in 1950.It was a cultural organisation with a political purpose,The brainchild of a group of youngsters - G. Janardhana Kurup, N. Rajagopalan Nair and K.S. Rajamani - associated with the CPI;

It was with "Ningalenne Communistakki" (You Made Me a Communist, 1952), its second play, that KPAC became a force to reckon with on Kerala's cultural scene.Thoppil Bhasi, a young Communist activist wrote the play under the pseudonym Soman.most of the members of the group had little or no prior stage experience,After the first show itself the play was booked for 36 performances. Overnight, an amateur play became professional,,Ningalenne Communistakki" made history in Malayalam theatre by becoming the first play to be staged more than 10,000 times

Gifted artists such as KPAC Sulochana, K.S. George, G. Devarajan, M.S. Baburaj, K. Raghavan Master, P.J. Antony, Kambissery Karunakaran, K.P. Ummer and KPAC Lalitha and poets such as O.N.V. Kurup and Vayalar Rama Varma, to name a few, were either associated with the KPAC or began their career in it.golden jubilee celebrations of KPAC were inaugurated in May 2000

This drama propelled KPAC into the forefront of kerala cultural scene and played a historical role in popularising the Communist movement in Kerala during 1950's

Kerala history, First E.M.S. Ministry, 1957IN THE ABOVE VIDEO OF A STREET DEMONSTRATION NEAR TRIVANDRUM MUSEUM;ONE CAN SEE THE OLD COSTLY IMPORTED ,GLOBE SHAPED STREET LAMPS; PUT FROM PALAYAM TO KOWDIAR IN 1940'S;BY THE MAHARAJA. BUT ALL THESE STREET LAMPS WERE STONED TO PIECES BY SOME POLITICAL PARTY AGITATING FOR SOME INSIGNIFICANT CAUSE IN 1960'S .PUBLIC PROPERTY ISCOMMON MAN'S PROPERTY.THIS ALL POLITICAL PARTIES MUST REMEMBER .THOSE PARTIES WHICH DESTROY OUR PROPERTY SHOULD PAY BACK THE COST ;TO THE GOVERNMENT .

Poverty stricken farmers pulling an ancient plow through rice field-DAILY WAGES WERE JUST 4 ANNAS=25 PAISE=1/4 RUPEE/DAY''ELLU MURIYE PANI CHEYTHAL PALLU MURIYE THINNAAM''(IF YOU WORK HARD YOU GET ENOUGH FOOD) WAS A SAYING OF THAT TIMES[THIS UNHAPPY SITUATION WAS USED BY CPI TO INCREASE POPULARITY AND VOTE]

Unemployed youths, many college graduates, applying for work as bus conductors. (Photo by James Whitmore//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)VERY RARELY PEOPLE USED TO WEAR SLIPPERS/CHAPPALS ON FEET.WEARING OF PANTS/TROUSERS BECAME COMMON AFTER 1980

During the Travancore-Cochin elections,[similar long line of bullock carts used to travel every week to the 'weekly markets'("vaara chantha") all over kerala .some had to travel up to 30 kilometers to reach the markets in about 4 hours time]markets of old were 3 types:-"anthi chantha"=(daily) evening market[2]"vaara chantha"=weekly market[3]"maasa chantha"=monthly market.only at these times people used to come/crowd at the open market ground and traded.[Morning to evening shops and now malls came much later]olden days people were busy at other times with their "kula thozhil"='trade as per their caste';so no permanent shops

During the Travancore-Cochin elections,

During the Travancore-Cochin elections, Congress Party flags out numbering Communist Party flags. (Photo by James Burke//Time Life Pictures/Getty mages)Mar1, 1954

Fishermen drawing in nests.(Photo by James burke/Time/Life

NOTE:-THE BEACHES WERE VERY WIDE THEN ;BEFORE THE SEA EROSION STARTED IN 1960 AND NOW BELOW

Durring the Travancore-Cochin elections,

Durring the Travancore-Cochin elections, with people waiting for identity slips which are exchanged for ballots. (Photo by James Burke//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

The entrance to U.S. Information Library, with pictures of American homes displayed outside. (Photo by James Burke//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Mar 1, 1954[AT PALAYAM OPPOSITE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ;BEFORE IT CLOSED DOWN DUE TO POLITICAL PRESSURE ;;AND NOW IT IS CONVERTED TO -'THE SOUTH PARK HOTEL']

Flight with history:

The protagonists of the accession drama, the Travancore raja and Sardar Patel, aboard a Devon plane in '50.[Travancore was in half mind to remain as free country without joining India]MAY BE SARDAR PATEL'S FIRM WORDS CHANGED THE MIND OF THE MAHARAJA AND TRAVANCORE FINALLY JOINED THE INDIAN UNION

[The present state of Kerala is made up of three princely states, Travancore, Cochin and Malabar. When the British announced their withdrawal from India, the Diwan of Travancore, Sir. CP Ramaswamy Iyer announced that Travancore would establish itself as an independent state and would not join the Indian Union.

bY. The action of Diwan aroused a bitter controversy inside and outside the State. Travancore was again in the vortex of a political struggle and the Government resorted to a series of repressive measures to meet the situation. One of the highlights of the struggle was a police firing at Pettah, Trivandrum, in which three persons including a student by name Rajendran were killed. A few days after the incident, an unsuccessful attempt was made on SirC.P.Ramaswamy Iyer’s life when the Diwan was attending a function in the Swathi Thirunal Academy of Music at Trivandrum (July 25, 1947). The Diwan escaped with minor injuries and very soon left the State for good. Immediately after this incident the Maharaja intimated, to Lord Mountbatten, the Governor-General, his decision to accept the Instrument of Accession and take Travancore into the Indian Union. SirC.P. Ramaswamy Iyer resigned the office of Diwan on August 19, 1947 and was succeeded in that office by P.G.N. Unnithan.]

Medical College,Thiruvananthapuramwas founded in 1951, and was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. at 8:00 AM on 27th Nov. 1951. This is the first ,oldest ,and most prestigious medical college in Kerala.

Nehru at palayam,Thiruananthapuram stadium 1960'S.just to see Nehru and listen to him ;the stadium was overflowing with crowd

THIRUANANTHA PURAM ,PALAYAM POLICE STADIUM ALSO KNOWN AS CHANDRASEKHARAN NAIR STADIUMWAS THE NAIR PATTALAM(SOLDIER'S)PARADE GROUND FROM 1850 ON WARDSCAN SEE ABOVE :- THE OLD KERALA ARCHITECTURE TILED MOSQUE OF PALAYAM ;BEFORE THE NEW MOSQUE WITH MINARET WAS BUILT;AS SEEN BELOW

1708-WAR ON PEPPERCOAST{KERALA/MALABAR}A battle on the Malabar Coast ("Pepper Coast") between the Dutch East India Company and the Portutuese, with "Nairos," Dec. 1661; Dutch ships are in the background; from 'Wouter Schouten's travels into the East Indies', 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1708

A Malabar man(kerala) Showing tricks with Serpents* 1660'S

A Malabar[KERALA] Man and Woman* 1660

Vasco da Gama in Calicut, India, 1498Vasco da Gama-CLICK AND READ-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_da_GamaWhen we reached the palace we passed through a gate into a courtyard of great size, and before we arrived at where the king was, we passed four doors, through which we had to force our way, giving many blows to the people. When, at last, we reached the door where the king was, there came forth from it a little old man, who holds a position resembling that of a bishop [i.e. a Brahmin], and whose advice the king acts upon in all affairs of the church. This man embraced the captain when he entered the door. Several men were wounded at this door, and we got in only by the use of much force.

Gama squadron of 1502 -Armada////

Description of Umayamma Rani

The Dutch representative William Van Nieuhoff describes the Rani as:“

... I was introduced into her majesty's presence. She had a guard of above 700 Nair soldiers about her, all clad after the Malabar fashion; the Queens attire being no more than a piece of callicoe wrapt around her middle, the upper part of her body appearing for the most part naked, with a piece of callicoe hanging carelessly round her shoulders. Her ears, which were very long, her neck and arms were adorned with precious stones, gold rings and bracelets and her head covered with a piece of white callicoe. She was past her middle age, of a brown complexion, with black hair tied in a knot behind, but of majestick mein, she being a princess who shew'd a great deal of good conduct in the management of her affairs [15]

Dutch commander De Lannoy surrenders to Marthanda Varma at the Battle of Colachel. Depiction at Padmanabhapuram Palace..Marthanda VarmaMAHARAJA-1706–1758-CLICK AND READ :-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marthanda_VarmaPlan of the Fortress of Coylan[QUILON =KOLLAM]. Located on the Malabar coast of India. The Dutch East India Company captured it from the Portuguese in 1661. Also known as Quilon. Copper plate engraving, hand coloured, from Abbe Prevost's Historical Travels, 1747.

1805-THE MAHARAJAH OF TRAVANCORE PRESENTING GOLD CROWN FOR THE TORAH

1905-FIRST SEVEN INDIAN NURSES WITH IDA SCUDDER VELLORE

The HinduPrime Minister Indira Gandhi being received by Chief Minister Karunakaran in Trivandrum on January

MANNATHU PADMANABHAN WITH NEHRU AND INDIRA GANDHI

Mannam. KM Munshi,Panambilly

Mannam and K.Kelappan

Mannam, Pattom Thanu Pillai, KPS Menon, G Ramachandran

Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru being greeted by leader of the Nair service society, Mannath Padmanabhan (left) at Trivandrum airport in Kerala on June 25, 1959.

C.KESAVAN WITH JAWAHARLAL NEHRU

The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi greeted by the people of Trivandrum who had thronged on the roadside during her visit to the State capita on January 17, 1980. She and her party won the Lok Sabha election as she was sworn in PM on January 14, 1980.

1878

Oil painting on paper by Marianne North of Beypore, dated 1878-1879. Marianne North visited India in 1877-79 and completed over 200 paintings whilst there.

In her autobiography, 'Recollections of a happy life' of 1892, she wrote, "At Beypore I found a large room over the station, a hundred yards from the sea, with a garden between me and it...I enjoyed being at Beypur close to the sea...I could walk on the rocks and sands, watching the shrimps, crabs...I made a long sketch of the river and distant mountains, with endless cocoa-nuts in the middle distance, ferry-boats, and picturesque people. It was very pleasant sitting on the clean sand, but it was hot."

Water-colour painting of the town and harbour of Kannur (Cannanore) by John Johnson (c.1769-1846), c.1795 - 1801. This image is from a sketch-book of 36 drawings (36 folios) depicting scenes chiefly in west India and Mysore (Karnataka) between c.1795-1801.

Kannur is situated on a headland overlooking a picturesque bay in Kerala, in the south of India. Vasco da Gama (1460-1524) the Portuguese explorer who discovered an ocean route from Portugal to the East came to this area in 1498 and it subsequently became an important trading station. The fort of St. Angelo was constructed in 1505 by the first Portuguese Viceroy Don Francisco De Almeda with the consent of the ruling Kolathiri Raja. In 1656 the Dutch expelled the Portuguese and subsequently sold the town to a Moplah family (a community of Arab descent) who claimed sovereignty over the Laccadive Islands, a group of coral reefs and islands off the coast of Kerala. Moplah rule was terminated by the British who attacked and captured Kannur in 1790 and it became their most important military base in the south of India. The barracks, arsenal, cannons and the ruins of a chapel still stand in the fort as a testimony to its glorious history.

In his attempts to junction with Tipu Sultan, Napoleon annexed Ottoman Egypt in the year 1798Aquatint published by F. Jukes in 1794 and part of King George III's Topographical Collection, with a view of an island fort of Tipu Sultan on the Malabar Coast in southern India. It is one of the forts which was ceded to the British during the Third Anglo-Mysore War (1789-92). Tipu Sultan (b.1750-d.1799), was the strong and capable ruler of Mysore who consistently opposed the British as they expanded their control over India. The bitter struggle between the two powers was played out through the Anglo-Mysore Wars and only ended in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War of 1799, when Tipu was defeated and died fighting while his capital Seringapatam (Srirangapattana) fell to the British.Napoleon enters Alexandria on July 3, 1798 by Guillaume-François Colson, 1800.

Tellicherry, founded in 1683, was the first regular settlement on the Malabar coast. The fort was completed in 1708 by the Kolattiri Rajah and handed to the East India Company for the protection of their factory. In 1776 the factory was reduced to a Residency and in 1794 the factory was abolished by Sir John Shore. It has not been possible to identify Falconer and Bailie with certainty; an Alexander Falconer was in the Madras Civil Service at this period.

TALASSERY[TELLICHERRY] TOWN

Engraving by Pieter Schenk (1645-1715) of Cochin in Kerala, published by the artist in his 'Totius orbis Terrarum oppida nobiliora centum Amsterdam' of 1702.

View of the dam, Periyar Lake taken by an unknown photographer in the 1900s. The photograph is part of an album containing views of various locations in India, formerly in the collection of Horatio Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and Broome, (1850-1916), who was Commander in Chief of India between 1902 and 1909.(a picture of the Mullaperiyar dam here)

Alleppy Port, which was Travancore primary port, before development of Kochi Port.Raja Kesavadas (1745-1799)s considered as the chief architect of Alapuzha town. The area which Alapuzha now occupies was once a coastal area which was uninhabited and filled with large weeded plants. He found Alapuzha to be a good location for a port. He constructed two parallel canals for bringing goods to the port. For the building of Alapuzha town he was ably assisted by one of his ministers, viz. Thachil Matthoo Tharakan.. Raja Kesavadas offered infrastructural facilities to merchants and traders from Surat, Mumbai and Kachchh to start industrial enterprises, trading and cargo centres. Alappuzha attained progress and became the financial nerve centre of Travancore during his time.

Photograph taken about 1900 by the Government photographer, Zacharias D'Cruz of a view of the Adoption Durbar, Trivandrum. It is one of 76 prints in an album entitled 'Album of South Indian Views' of the Curzon Collection. George Nathaniel Curzon was Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office between 1895-98 and Viceroy of India between 1898-1905. The State troops at the Adoption Durbar can be seen here on parade during the ceremony.

This image falls into the public domain as it was taken in India prior to 1 January 1951, and was not published in India after that date. It is in public domain in the United States as well as it was taken prior to 1 January 1951.

DURBAR OF THE RAJAH OF TRAVANCORE c.1856-KERALA

In AD 1849, the Madras government informed the Maharajah, HH Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma, of the conducting of a great exhibition in London and requested His Highness’s government to make suitable contributions. The Maharajah, ordered a committee to be formed for this for which,Maj.Gen Cullen, the Resident, Dr.Paterson, the Durbar Physician, Mr.Kohlhoff, a judge of appeal court, and Ramen Menon, the Dewan Peishcar, were the members. P.Shangoonny Menon was the secretary to the committee.

An ivory state chair in the shape of a throne, reflecting the craftsmanship of the Travancore artisans, was already under construction for the Maharajah’ use and at this juncture it was thought a fit present to be sent for the Great Exhibition. The Maharajah also desired that once the exhibition was over, the throne be accepted by the Queen Victoria as a token of HH’s regards and esteem. This was fully appreciated by the Resident, Major General Cullen and the Madras Government. Accordingly, the beautiful throne along with many carvings reflecting the Travancore workmanship was sent to England along with the following letter to Her Majesty.

Engraving of the ivory state chair

To

Her Most Excellent Majesty Alexandrina Victoria

From

HH Sree Padmanabha Dasa Vanchipala Marthanda Vurmah

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY

“Major General Cullen, the British Resident at my court, and my valued friend and adviser, having conveyed to me a communication, from the Court of Directors of the East India Company, through the Government of Madras, intimating that Your Majesty had been pleased to appoint certain learned and eminent gentlemen as Commissioners for carrying out a project formed at the instance and under the distinguished patronage of Your Majesty’s Royal Consort His Royal Highness Prince Albert, for the collection and exposition in Your Majesty’s city of London, in the ensuing year 1851 of the specimens of produce , manufactures and arts of all countries and nations , and awarding prizes to the most approved productions, and requesting the cooperation and aid of my government in the promotion of this most laudable and important object by collecting and forwarding to the said exhibition, specimens of articles from my country, I have given the most particular instructions to my Dewan for the furnishing of the choicest and most useful and interesting of the productions , which instructions are now being executed with all care and expedition, under the immediate direction of my friend Major General W.Cullen

The transmission of articles from this country for the exhibition, has afforded me an opportunity of which I am anxious to avail myself of forwarding also to London a chair of State , made of ivory, carved and ornamented, the production wholly of the native artists of my country and which I request permission to offer for Your Majesty’s acceptance , as a curiosity, and at the same time as a slight token of my profound respect for Your Majesty’s exalted person and for the numerous and great virtues for which Your Majesty is eminently distinguished.

I beg Your Majesty will graciously condescend to receive this friendly, but humble, tribute, from the Native Prince of a country situated at the very southern extremity of Your Majesty’s vast Indian Empire, who is, as everyone of his predecessors has always been a faithful ally and dependent of the British Government, which on its part, has ever extended to us, its protection and favour, a relation which I humbly trust, will continue to the end of time. And wishing Your Majesty a long happy reign and Your Majesty’s Royal Consort, and all the members of Your Majesty’s illustrious family long life and happiness.

I beg to subscribe myself Your Majesty’s most devoted faithful friend and servant.”

Trevandrum Palace, 11th October 1850.

The state chair in ivory was prominently exhibited in the Crystal Palace, London and it won great acclaim for its beauty, elegance and workmanship. No doubt, Her Majesty was most pleased to accept the gift from the Maharajah after the exhibition.

The Elephants of Raja of Travancore, May 1841.

MAHARAJA OF TRVANCORE-Lithograph of the Raja of Tranvancore's elephants at Trivandrum in Kerala by L.H. de Rudder (1807-1881) after an original drawing of May 1841 by Prince Aleksandr Mikhailovich Saltuikov published in 1848. Prince Saltuikov visited Trivandrum in August 1841 and noted several details about his meeting with the Hindu Maharaja of Travancore. He wrote that the Raja received his guest on his throne, was not more than 25 or 27 years of age and gave his guest two Indian drawings.

A Garden Party - The Travancore Royal Family with The Nehrus[JAWAHARLAL NEHRU WITH WHITE CAP,INDIRA GANDHI iN SARI,AND THE BOY IS RAJIV GANDHI

Members of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore after the screening of the movie ‘Paadatha Painkili’ [THE KING IN WHITE AND WHITE

DRESS,CENTER]

Dorothia Henriett Watts with Radhadevi, wife of the head of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore, at a garden party in 1945.

Members of the Kani tribe offering ‘Thirumulkazhcha'[PRESENTS TO KING] to the head of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore, Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma, at the Levee Hall in the city Members of the royal family Aswathy Tirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bai and Pooyam Tirunal Gowri Parvathy Bai are also seen

(L to R) Balchandra Trimabak Ranadive, Gurucharan Patnaik, and M.R. Venkataraman during a meeting of Indian Communist Central Exec. Committee members. (Photo by James Burke//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Gen. Secy. of the Indian Communist Party Ajoy Ghosh (L). Location: Kerala, India. Date taken: August 1958. Photographer: James Burke.

sepia- memories of a rich past

uma Maheswari

The royal family of Travancore owns many simple and neatly built palaces most of them centred near the southeast corner of the Sree Padmanabhswami Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Palaces in the Fort area are called the Valia Kottaram Palace Complex. Each ruler out of respect and reverence never lived in the palace of his predecessor. Thus arose many palaces in the Fort area which also has the much revered Sree Padmanabhaswami temple, the abode of the titular deity of the rulers of Travancore.

The royal family of Travancore owns many simple and neatly built palaces most of them centred near the southeast corner of the Sree Padmanabhswami Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Palaces in the Fort area are called the Valia Kottaram Palace Complex. Each ruler out of respect and reverence never lived in the palace of his predecessor. Thus arose many palaces in the Fort area which also has the much revered Sree Padmanabhaswami temple, the abode of the titular deity of the rulers of Travancore.

The Ranga Vilasam Palace which was constructed by Maharaja Swati Tirunal, the monarch-musician in 1839, will now take on the mantle of a heritage gallery-cum-museum when it is formally inaugurated on July 12. It was Sri Chithra Tirunal, who took the initiative to establish an art gallery in this admirable structure. His visit to Europe in 1933, urged him to open an art gallery in Travancore too. This gallery housed many artifacts, Kathakali figurines, Kerala utensils, bell metals vessels, ivory articles, paintings, bronze pieces, china wares, many curios and private collections of the Maharajas who ruled Travancore. However, the art gallery ceased to function in the post-Independence period.

The present maharaja, Sree Uthradam Tirunal Marthanda Varma, who is an eminent photographer and has a rich collection of 10,000 pictures neatly catalogued, wished that the public too have a glimpse of the sepia tinted frames which were virtually slices from an eventful and culturally rich past. He decided to convert the Ranga Vilasam lying vacant to a museum of rare photographs. “It is not possible to display all the pictures in the gallery and selection of 200 pictures was not easy,” admits the Maharaja. His idea was to blow up the pictures to large impressive dimensions so as to enhance the visual appeal. The Maharaja entrusted the renowned press photographer B Jayachandran, photo-editorMalayala Manorama, with this onerous task.

It was Arunacahalam Pillai who brought photopidikkunna ynatram or the first-ever camera to Travancore in 1850. Obviously he took the photographs of the Maharaja. The oldest photograph in the collection was of Ayilayam Tirunal Maharaja (1832-1880) with this wife, taken by the reputed photographers from Calcutta, Bourne and Shepherd. This happens to be one among the priceless collection titled ‘Album of Cartes de visite portraits of Indian rulers and notables’ by Zachariah Curzon..

Successive maharajas had taken interest in commissioning a photographer. Sree Mulam Tirunal appointed William D’ Cruz (D Cruz Junior) as the palace photographer. His collections were compiled by George Nathaniel Curzon who was the Under Secretary of the State (1895-98) and more familiar to us as Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India during the turn of the 19th century.

An early attempt at energy conservation: This 1940 photo shows the chief minister of Travancoreprincely stateinsouthernIndia test-riding a bus fueled by charcoal gas. This innovation was expected to considerably reduce the consumption of petrol.

Current Conversion Standard

In 1956, For metric conversion, Government of India defined the Seer as follows:

One Seer = 0.93310 kilogram exact

The UN (1966) set One Seer = 2.057 pounds on average. This is approximately 2 pounds and One ounce

1 Maund = 40 Seer = 100 Troy Pounds Exact

1 Seer = 80 Tola

1 Tola = 11.66375 gram

view of Pathayam

[MOST HOUSES HAD ONE AS A STATUS SYMBOL]

WHERE RICE WAS STORED

[WHEAT WAS UNKNOWN THEN]

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A PIGEON HOUSE NEAR THE GATE WAS FASHION 1940'S

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MANY KERALA HOUSES HAD WOODEN GATES ,WITH THE HEAD OF A LION ,ON EITHER SIDE, OVER PILLAR OF THE GATE[SIMILAR TO BELOW PHOTOS ;ON EITHER SIDE OF THE GATE ;FROM THE PUBLIC ROAD ROAD]

MANY HOUSE FRONT ENTRANCES (MAINLY CHRISTIAN ) HAD HEADS OF WILD ANIMALS ;PROMINENTLY SHOWN AT THE ENTRANCE ;AGAIN A SHOW OFF FOR OTHERS TO SEE ; THAT THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE IS A GREAT HUNTER!

Hunting was free and killing wild animals were neither banned;nor it was considered as destruction of nature in 1950.Many evenings and some morning walks;hunting gun was carried by many ,to kill any wild animal or bird which he saw.

The worries about destruction of nature;pollution, THE AWARENESS ABOUT ENVIRONMENT , PRESERVATION OF FLORA AND Fauna etccame much later in 1980's

Prahar[It is also called Yaam.]Prahar is a part of the day. Eight Prahar make one day and night -four Prahar in the day and four Prahar in the night. So one Prahar can be taken as equal to three hours.

Migration

A large migration moved many Syrian Christians from Central Kerala to Malabar regions; termed as Malabar Migration. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of Mappilas(muslims) numbering between 3 and 4 million people have left Kerala to seek employment in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Omen, Bahrain